
For thousands of years, humans have depended on their pets to perform special tasks such as herding sheep, pulling sleds, or even detecting bombs or illegal substances. It is no surprise that some companies are adding dogs, cats, and other animals in the payroll! That’s right, these hardworking dogs and cats are gainfully employed and are quite excellent in what they do:
Mille: A Security Guard
It is not unusual to see a police dog in the mall or at the airports. With their keen sense of smell, dogs can sniff out anything from drugs to bombs. But what about cats?
Check out Millie the cat, a feline bodyguard that works at Bandai’s Southampton toy warehouse. Millie is a Bengal cat who happens to scour the area way before she was included in the payroll. Wearing a tiny security guard uniform, Millie is always out and about, checking out the premises for thieving rats and shooing away feral kitty for a lifetime of cat food and fish!

Virginia: Foster Mother
Not all mommy cats take care of their litters of kittens. For one reason or another, some cats abandon their young. This is where Virginia comes in. Virginia works at the Cattery Cat Shelter in Corpus Christi, Texas as a foster cat. Her job includes grooming, cuddling, and keeping curious kittens out of trouble until they find their forever home! The job may be tough but Virginia is very patient with the little ones! Until she finds her own forever home, Virginia remains an important part of the shelter’s staff.
Lucy Lou: A Town Mayor
Being a town mayor sure is ruff and it takes a tough pooch to manage a small town! Lucy Lou is more than capable of handling the job! In Rabbit Hash, Kentucky, dogs and cats are often elected in various government seats. During the mayoral elections, the village was won over by Lucy Lou, a friendly border collie who loves posing for pictures and greeting visitors during her free time. Lucy is the third dog to hold the office in Rabbit Hash.
Sable: Crossing Guard
For Enterprise Middle School students that have trouble crossing the road, they depend on good ol’ Sable to lend a hand. Sable is a black cat that works as a cross guard. Every day, Sable shows up on time at work, dutifully walking the kids on the road for ear scratches and maybe a kiss or two!
Sable wears an orange safety vest and is an honorary member of the Enterprise Safety Patrol. Recently, Sable was promoted as a schoolteacher.
Lolo: Truffle Hunter
Truffles are rare mushrooms that grow in tree roots. This edible fungus is prized for its delicate flavors. Usually, pigs are used to sniff out truffles but some hunters are turning to dogs to explore the woodlands for this super expensive ‘shroom!
Thanks to his sharp sense of smell, Lolo makes the perfect truffle hunter. He is fast, effective, and he loves what he does! This pooch is a Lagotto Romagnolo, a special mixed truffle-hunting dog breed. Lolo loves to explore the outdoors, getting dirt on his nose, and discovering awesome places where truffles grow!
